How To Gain Weight - 5 Tips For Gaining Weight & Building Muscle Mass

Are you struggling trying to pack on a few solid pounds of lean muscle mass? If you have been working out hard in the gym and you're still not gaining any weight, then this article is for you. There are a few key things you need to focus on to optimize your workout routine and diet plan in order maximize your muscle building efforts. Here are the top 5 tips for gaining weight and packing on slabs of muscle!

How To Gain Weight - Tip #1
Eat more calories. Nutrition is the key for adding mass to your body. If you want to grow, you need to eat, eat and eat some more. Stick with nutrient dense foods and make sure to eat every 3 hours throughout the day. If its hard for you to eat that many calories, try to add a few high protein shakes along with 2-3 tbs of natural peanut butter and milk. The easiest way to add calories to your diet is through healthy fats like olive oil, nuts and peanut butter.

How To Gain Weight - Tip #2
Use basic mass building exercises. In order to grow, you should be using mutli-joint basic exercises like squats, deadlifts, bench press and military press. By using these mass building exercises, you will be forcing your body to make it grow. Go as heavy as you can on these and stick with a rep range of 6-8 for mass building.

How To Gain Weight - Tip #3
Rest for growth. If you want to gain weight, cut out all cardio and extra activities. Lift heavy and then be lazy and let your body recover and grow. Your body should be focused only on growth and nothing else. You should be getting at least 8 hours of sleep per night to allow maximum REM sleep and spur recovery and growth.

How To Gain Weight - Tip #4
Include protein at each meal. You should include a lean protein source at every meal. Your muscles need protein. You need the amino acids that comprise the protein we consume to repair, maintain and facilitate growth in muscles. Protein is also used in a host of other ways by the body, specifically by enzymes, blood and other cells. Adding protein at each meal will generally reduce the glycemic index of the meal. Focus on getting at least 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight. So, if your weight is 175 lbs, try to eat at least 175 grams of protein per day.

How To Gain Weight - Tip #5
Maximize the post-workout window of opportunity. Always eat a post-workout meal consisting of a high quality protein and a high glycemic carbohydrate. After your workout is the ideal time to spike your insulin levels and re-supply your body with glycogen. A great post-workout meal consists of 2 scoops of high quality whey protein powder (I recommend Optimum Nutrition) and about 35-50 grams of carbs coming from either dextrose or maltodextrin. MRP's like Myoplex or MetRX work great in this situation. Liquid meals are great after your workout because you don't have to deal with the heavy digestion which real foods takes. The goal post workout is to maintain a prompt digestion rate so nutrients can transport swiftly and efficiently to our muscles.

By Kris Bierek